Advanced Fuel Production Technology Market Assessment

This report presents an assessment of the technology status and market potential for advanced fuel production technologies in California. The information is intended to guide the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Clean Transportation Program. The purpose of this report is to provide a body of knowledge from which the CEC can base its decisions and efforts to further a sustainable and economically stimulating biofuels industry. The report examines the policy-driven efforts and impacts to nurture the biofuels industry; it assesses the feedstock availability and the biofuels production technologies available within the marketplace, including their environmental impacts; and it captures challenges of the biofuels industry. Conventional biofuels are commercial today, providing 14–16 billion gallons of biomass-based fuels. A challenge arises in expanding the fuel production while increasing economic and environmental benefits. Cellulosic, advanced, and drop-in biofuels are active areas of interest for accomplishing these goals. In expanding cellulosic, advanced, and drop-in biofuels, significant growth is occurring in both the biochemical and thermochemical biofuels production processes. Developments and improvements are being made from microbes to catalysts, and fuel quality to compatibility. The potential of biofuels is being approached one advancement at a time through steady efforts, strong research, and policy-driven support.